Ignition system.



G. E. KETTERING.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1910.

1 )0 37 492 Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

l'V/TNESSES: [NI EN TOR.

m iudgg UNITED sT.A;TEs PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. KETTERING, OF DAYTOI'I, OHIO, AESIG'NDE T6 THE DAYIGN ENGINEERING LAIBGRATURIES 30., CQRFQB-ATION OF OHIO.

IG-N'JITION A ilicatton. filed November 2, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. KETTER me, a citizen of the United. States, resitiing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in ignition Systems, of which the foiiowing is 2 full, ciesr, and erect description,

This invention rotates to improvements in ignition systems and has among" its objects to provide an im grov i form of tie vice more porticuisriy as 'iistributer for systems where the secontiory impulses are distributed in turn through the successive secondary circuits, one of the general purposes of this improvement being to provide means for dissipating the inductive currents which may arise in the secondary circuit a jacent to the circuit of the cylinder ready to tire, thereby preventing premature firing or spa-rhin in the cylinders.

The form of ciistributer opporzitus to Whiohave applied the present improvements, is shown in my 'cogienriing application for an ignition system, Serisi No. 548,? 21, flied Mar. 12, 191%, in which a. {iistrihuter used and in which another form oi? ties-us is provided for dissipating; the inducti currents in the secoiuisry circuits as in referrer). to.

V'Jith these and incidental objects in View, the invention consists in certain novei constructions and. arrangements, at preterreri form of embodiment of which is sho n in the cccompi uig drcWm-gs and described .o 1011 which lOiiOWS.

rings: Figure 1 is a chsgram the circuits, showing; the custhe SQGCL In d1 rustic 'ievv tributer mechanism idiagrsmmsticsiiy in perspective. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the distrihuter head contain- Figs. 3 fist-ribing the imcrovements reterred to.

i e views of 1erotary uter pic l-cry 20' s tion coii c the seccu' Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912 Serial No. 590,406.

closing of the contact in the primary circuit by means of the timer. This timer 23 is shown having can: projections 24: scripted. to strike the nose 25 of a contact strip 26 which is carried upon a pivotal block 27.

Ti. b carries a contact strip 28 so. be o contact. with the contact I the coin projection '24.- strikes the manner described in ecpiicetion referred to. uoint 29 is connected by c wire with t 'iucry 21 of the induction coil the oioch 27 is grounded by the Wire 31, thereby grounding the contact strip 28, and. completing the battery circuit through the iEiLtt1'/,'t}t1 timer contact point, one. the iocking-reisy. The other sirie the bsttery is grouncteo by the Wire through ordinary switch key 3 he construction of the iocking-reisy is iiows: The Wire 46 from the stutter 6.98 to connect in one branch with a. high esistcuce loci-ring coil 4.1 and in the other hr h with movable contact strip 42 Vi i is to maize and the act at the contact point-t3. This cont pointi3 is connecte by c Wire with ii. iow resistance coil L A condenser 4-6 shunteri croi'znd the contact points oi this one. brook oievice. The two colic to are Wounci around suits-sic cores operating upon the armature contact strip In the operation this c nig-reicy, the current flows through Wire 40, contact strip 42, contactpoint 4333, low resistence coil 45, to the primary coil 21 of the induction coii. Thus he timer 1r riEQS contact With the @oi'st 29, this coinpietes the cattery CUClFi? through the primary ot the incluctioo coil and through the low resistance coii but immediateiy the magnetic influence down on the store strip 4;, breaking the contact at t thus semi G i necessss-ry c chiming; imcuise throus' pr "nary coii .25. to induce a Spulifii 3: se in the secondary coii Tiv i-EZ is hei l crown in this contacti position by the high cience or (L1 4t, coercing in s...

The distributing ot the secondary impulse to the various secondaries will now be described.

The secondary coil 22 is grounded by the wire 50 to the primary circuit which latter is grounded as previously explained; and the other end of the secondary 22 is connected by a wire 51 to the central binding post 52 of the distributor. A grounded ring 53 (grounded by the wire 5%.) surrounds this central binding post 52 and has normally bearing upon its plungers 55. These plungers are connected by wires 56 to the respective spark plugs 5?, which are suitably grounded in a well known manner. Rotating in the secondary or" this grounded ring 53, is a distributor vane 60 which is of insulating material, while the ring 53 is of conducting material. Embeded in said vane 60 is a conducting strip 61, and the outer end 62 or" the vane is beveled or curved as also shown in Fig. 4. This conducting strip 61 is connected to the cen tral binding post 52. The timer 28 and the distributer vane 60' are geared together so that when the timer causes contact to be made in the primary of the induction coil through the contact point 29, the distributor vane lies with its conducting strip 61 under some one or the other of the secondary plungers 55. It results from this construction that when the current is broken in the primary, as already described, and thereby a secondary impulse is caused in the secondary 22 of the induct-ion coil, this secondary impulse goes through the secondary circuit including the wire 51, central binding post 52, contact strip 61, plunger 55, and wire 56 to the spark plug 57. In this manner as the distributer vane rotates, the secondary circuits are established in turn by means of the contact strip 61 thereby causing a spark in turn in each of the four spark plugs for the'four cylinders of the engine, the timer making contact correspondingly to produce the breaking of the primary current at the proper time.

It will be seen that at the time the contact is being made for one ofthe secondary circuits, to permitthe spark impulse to be sent therethrough, all of the other secondary circuits are grounded by reason of the tact that their plungers 55 rest upon the grounded plate 53. For this reason, if any. inductive effect is established, either by static or magnetic influence, in any one of the adjacent secondary circuits, such ell' ect would be immediately dissipated by reason of the fact that these adjacent secondary circuitsare grounded. By this means therefore I provide secondary circuits which normally all stand grounded, but when the distributor 6O slides under one of the plungers 55, this insulates this plunger and cuts it oh from the grounded ring 53, and at the same time menace The exact construction adopted as a prcferred form for a distributor head, is shown in Fig, 2. In this case the shaft 70, which may be connected to thetimer 23, as shown in my copending application first referred to, carries the insulated distributor vane 60, which therefore rotates with shaft.

The outer metal casing 71 of the distributer head, has seated within it an insulated disk ?2 through which the distributer vane 60 projects, and this disk 72 has embedded in it the grounded ring 53. This ring is grounded bym'eans of a conducting pin Y3 cpnnected at its upper end to said conducting plate and at its lower end to another plate 74: which projects from the metal casing 71. This casing 71 is grounded to the engine framework, thus grounding the metal ring 58. The strip 61 is shown em bedded in the rotary distributer vane. The central binding post 52 is in the shape of a plunger having a beveled or rounded lower end bearing on the strip 61. This plunger 52 is suitably spring seated in its socket in the insulated distributer cap 75. The other plungers 55 are similarly formed and have beveled or rounded ends bearing upon the conductor ring 53 so that as thecurved or beveled end 62 of the distributer vane moves around under these different plungers 55, said plungers will be elevated against their spring tension, and thereby the corresponding secondary circuit established as heretofore explained. The terminal cap 80 protects the lead-wire '51 attached to the binding post 52, and outside terminal caps 81 protect the secondary leadwires 56, connected to their respective plungers in similar manner. Thus the only rotary portion is the distributor vane 60, which distributes the secondary im pulses to the various secondary circuits in the manner described. The outer end of said distributor vane carries an upwardly extending flange 82 adapted to minimize leakage. y

While the form of mechanism herein described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. v What is claimed is as .f0llows:

1 1. in an ignition distributor system, the I combination with the engine and cylinders,

sparking devices in the cylinders, and means for producing a sparking impulse; of normally grounded sparking circuits for said several cylinders; and means for successiyely insulating each grounded spar-kiss;

combination with the engine and cylinders,

sparking devices in the cylinders, and means for producing a sparking impulse; of a permanently grounded member; sparking circuits for the several cylinders having terminals normally contacting with said grounded member; a rotary distributer elec trically connected with said spark producing means; comprising means for successively connecting each of said spark circuit terminals with the spark producing means, and means for insulating said terminals from the grounded member concomitantly with the connecting of such terminal with the sparking circuit.

3. In an ignition distributer system, the combination with the engine and cylinders, sparking devices in the cylinders, and means for producing a sparking impulse; of a per-' manently grounded contact plate; sparking circuits for the various cylinders having contact terminals normally spring-pressed into engagement with said grounded plate; a rotary distributer electrically connected with the spark producing means comprising a contact arm located to engage said terminals in turn to connect the same with the sparking circuit; and an insulating plate intervening between the grounded plate and said contact arm to insulate the live terminal from the grounded plate'when said terminal is engaged by the contact plateto connect up the sparking circuit for that terminal.

\ 4. In an ignition distributer system, the combination with the engine and cylinders,

and means for producing sparking impulses therein; of normally grounded spark circuits-for said several cylinders; and means for successively breaking each grounded spark circuit and concomitantly connecting that circuitthus broken with the circuit for said spark producing means.

5. In an ignition system, the combination with'an engine and cylinders, and means for producing sparking impulses therein; of a distributer for making the successive sparkmg circuits, said distributer including an arm of insulating material having embedded therein a conductor plate connected with the sparking circuit. Y

6. In an ignition distributer system, the combination with an engine and cylinders, and means for producing sparking impulses therein; of a distributer for making the suc cessive sparking circuit-s, said distributer including a plate having embedded therein an annular ring permanently grounded electrically, with separate contact plungers connected with the secondary circuits and normally impinging upon said ring.

7. In an ignition distributer system, the combination with an engine and cylinders, and means for producing sparking impulses therein; of a distributer for making the successive sparking circuits, said distributor including a plate having embedded therein an annular ring permanently grounded electrically with separate contact plungers connected with the secondary circuits and normally impinging upon said ring; and a distributer arm including an insulated portion for rotating over the said ring, with a conducting portion embedded in said insulated 'arm and connected with the common circuit of the secondary circuit.

8. In an ignition system, the combination with an engine and cylinders, and means for producing sparking impulses therein; of a distributer for making the successive sparking circuits, said distributor including a plate having embedded therein an annular ring permanently grounded electrically with separate spring pressed plungers connected with the respective secondary circuits and normally impinging upon said ring;

and a distributor arm including an insulated portion for rotating over the said ring, with a conducting plate embedded in said insulated arm and connected with the common circuit of the secondary circuit, said insulated portion having a beveled approach to the conductor plate to facilitate the displacement of the plungers from their normal position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. KETTERING.

Witnesses:

J. B, HAYWARD, v Crass, It. Guanine,

It is hereby ceriaifid flsha'a: in Lsttera Pmam N00 1,03L92 granted Ssptember 3,

1912, upen the applicatianaf Charles E; Kattgring, @f Dayton Shin, fm an improvemant in Ignition Systems an ermr appears in the printsd specification requiring correction as fofimvs: Page L, iine 25-26 for the number and date Serial No. 548,921, filed Mar. 12, 191w MM 1% 564 731; filgd June 3,1910; and that the proper cmfecabioms have hes-m mafia in m fifles and regards of the Pment 015% and are hemby made in said Laflera Signed and sealed this 28th day of January A. Do, 1913.

C. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Cbmmissiamr of Patenis.

[SEAL] 

